Ideas for cannon ball extraction?

[newbury]

Summer heat may be your friend. Get the darn barrel CLEAN. Get some grease or lube behind the ball. Try on the hottest days, after it's sat in the sun, maybe assist it with anything you have that will throw a flame. Then when hot lift it so you CAN drop it with a serious whack on a piece of wood (so as not to damage the barrel), but start off with gentle whacks.
Videos are required!

 

[Root Cause]

Summer heat may be your friend. Get the darn barrel CLEAN. Get some grease or lube behind the ball. Try on the hottest days, after it's sat in the sun, maybe assist it with anything you have that will throw a flame. Then when hot lift it so you CAN drop it with a serious whack on a piece of wood (so as not to damage the barrel), but start off with gentle whacks.
Videos are required!

I have no idea whether this is good or bad advice but it is LOL funny. thanks for that.

 

[bcp]

Don't be this guy.

https://www.syracuse.com/vintage/2018/09/the_bombardment_of_waterloo_civil_war_cannon_fire_skakes_village_in_1923.html

Bruce

 

[LouNY]

Like others have said step one get the bore cleaned out.
Then start trying to get the ball free.

 

[Diggin It]

If you can find something like this in the right diameter, just a little less than the hole, it might clear to bulk of the junk out fairly well.



The follow with a wire wheel.

Or maybe the other way around.

 

[wesmann]

I’ve been told ammonia will break a cold weld. Or fill with water behind the ball and freeze it some how?

 

[airbiscuit]

ACME Company might be a good resource...

 

[marhar]

Maybe a lag bolt on the end of a rod, screw it into the lead ball and pull.

Any chance there is a powder charge under that cannon ball? If so, proceed with extreme caution.

I found an old cannon ball and I questioned a local museum about the cannon ball. I was warned about "live" cannon balls. The museum had a cannon ball that was "questionable" and not taking any chances they had a bomb squad remove the cannon ball.

While mine was a cannon ball and not a cannon, If you are not 100% sure there is no charge behind the ball do not attempt to remove the ball.

 

[newbury]

I’ve been told ammonia will break a cold weld. Or fill with water behind the ball and freeze it some how?

Doesn't cold cause barrels to shrink?

 

[Carl_NH]

Doesn't cold cause barrels to shrink?

Also balls